Challenge
To extend the brand’s approach to ‘inspiring a lifetime of rare experiences’ there first needed to be a clear understanding of both existing and future customer expectations. This was achieved through in-depth interviews, which were then analysed to inform a set of top-line personas to reflect key character traits, attitudes and jobs-to-be done. A revised information architecture was created based on prioritised persona use cases to ease pathways through the site.
Extensive in-category and out-of-category reviews were conducted aiming to understand digital behaviours, cultural aesthetics and latest trends to outline the style, tone and attitude the brand needed to establish to broaden its audience reach. These findings were partnered with the qualitative research analysis to develop a series of CX principles to craft a coherent approach to be applied to all future brand deliverables.
Customer needs were translated, and CX principles applied, across a refreshed design system, which supported the production of interactive prototypes. These were used as stimulus for user testing, as well as acting as a reference document for the Soneva development team and partner agencies to implement.
Solution
A refreshed design system, capturing the feeling guests experience when ‘looking out of their villa window’, was bolstered by a shift in image approach, placing an increased emphasis on capturing the people behind the Soneva brand and the inclusive community they create. This human-centred approach was consistently applied across the end-to-end user experience, culminating with the new website landing at the end of 2022.
